Riders for refugees: European snowboard community collects outerwear across Europe

The European snowboard community is campaigning to help the Syrian refugees caught up in the current refugee crisis in Europe. With winter fast approaching, many of these poor people are stranded in train stations and camps across Europe without any possessions, let alone warm clothes.

Snowboarder Danny Burrows (who once held the role as editor at European snowboard mag Onboard), started a campaign to help. “Riders for Refugees” asks snowboarders and skiers across Europe to donate old winter gear to refugees in need. Danny was working doing photo stories from a refugee camp in Calais, France and saw first hand the struggles these people are going through. Shooting a story on Glastonbury donating gum boots/wellies, it occurred to him that with his connections in snowboarding, a winter clothing collection may not be a hard thing to arrange.

“It has gone crazy in one week – am so impressed by the outpouring of support from the riding community.” – Danny Burrows

With collection points being arranged all over Europe from Innsbruck to London to Chamonix you can get involved. Check out on the Facebook page and figure out how you can get your kit to them or arrange a collection yourself. The plan is for the winter clothing to be distributed to local camps from each collection point.

Good on Danny and all the ski and snowboard community that is getting behind this.